Gotta Love A Stitchionary

I’m pretty darn happy to have it because I have been all about the lace lately. You might have noticed . . .

I also have Volumes 1 and 2 which are knit/purl and cables. Volume 3, which I don’t have, is colorwork, and Volume 4, which I also don’t have is crochet (I don’t crochet if I can help it).

Volume 5 is the same format as the others — a large, beautifully produced hardcover book. It is A “landscape” oriented book (11 by 8.5″ approximately) and I think this is what makes it lie flat in such an obedient manner when you open it.

Here’s the Table of Contents:

You have the usual introductory material and explanation of how to use the book. The stitch patterns themselves are divided into sections: easy/mesh, edgings, chevrons, allover, panels, combos, and motifs.

There is a list of abbreviations (on what I think is a particularly nice layout):

And a how-to section for yarn overs:

There is also a glossay in the back that explains certain techniques and abbreviations.

Here is a page I photographed at random:

As you can see, there is a photo of the stitch pattern knit in a sample swatch, a chart, and the pattern written out in words. This is particularly nice for people who have little experience with charts but would like more — you can follow along with the words as you work from the chart.

I particularly like the way the charts are done — they are very clean and use symbols that I think are pretty universal. The rows are numbered and the repeats clearly marked. And there is a symbol key for every chart.

While some of the patterns are familiar to me, some are not. All in all? A good investment for the lace knitter, in my opinion.

Yarnie Giveaway!

If Keri was wondering if people would like her yarn, I don’t think she need wonder any further, given the number of comments I got entering the contest to win the skein she so kindly donated. Keep an eye on her website — she will be selling her handpainted yarn soon. (And there may still be a few skeins of her “sample” yarn in her etsy shop.) The Random Number Generator chose Amy T. Congratulations to you, Amy! I have emailed you.

And as always, thank you to everyone who left a comment. While I am at it, thanks for reading my blog. 🙂 I am aware that lately content has been a bit thin on the ground and I appreciate those of you who stick around to read and comment. At the moment I have eleventy-billion different things going on in my life pulling me in eleventy-billion different directions, and that will continue for a while. But I am hoping that life will settle down into some semblance of normalcy by September so if you hang in there with me through the summer I’d appreciate it.

Comments

Wendy, I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful class at Charlotte Yarn this month. I just finished whipping up a lace bookmark for one of my son’s teachers. It took,maybe, an hour to do. Gotta love a quickie every now and then! 🙂

Love the blog too and will always be on my list of must read blogs and I'm not just saying that because I know you personally 🙂 (maybe it's just Lucy that keeps me coming back!)
.-= Karen´s last blog ..My Knitting Sisters =-.

Wendy, your blog is always interesting and informative. And I love the photos of Lucy. I’ll have to look into that book, I’ve been playing around with lace lately, using Barbara Walker’s book, which don’t lay flat when opened. 🙂

Wendy, I’ve been with you through many Septembers, usually lurking and rarely commenting, and I expect to continue on for many more. I enjoy your blog immensely and never feel like it’s too thin. Thank you for being a great inspiration and so generously sharing your talent with all of us.

“Stick around” ??? Hardly!!!! I love reading your stuff! I learn new things from you all the time. About knitting, eating, merchants, the weather…on and on it goes. You have a terrific outlook – thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Well, let’s just say we read the blog (thick or thin) because of all the interesting stuff you make and do and Lucy is the icing on the cake. On another note – Love, love, love Keri’s yarn. I got a skein like yours plus two of the “sample” skeins as well. Keep blogging we’ll be here.

Wendy: I know you are super busy but when/if you have a chance . . . I bought all the Barbara Walker stitch books in a fit of book lust and have been wondering if the Vogue stitch books are worth getting if I have the Walker books. What do you think?

I just picked this book up at the library, where I’ve had it on request since the beginning of the year. If I love it, I’ll buy a copy, even though I already have several other stitch dictionaries. I love knitting lace, And I love knitting from charts; I get lost in a sea of words.

I like the consistency of the postings. I know that Sunday through Thursday you write about something and include pictures of Lucy. Even if my day is very hectic, I feel that Sunday thru Thursday Lucy is an extended pet and her pictures are calming. She is beautiful. So keep it up. I know life gets busy but I appreciate the fact you take the time to write.

Wendy, I totally get having a lot of things in your life. We are renovating our home and camped out in an upstairs bedroom with no kitchen, etc. etc. It is fun in a sort of Swiss Family Robinson way and a total paint in the tush….well, you get the drift. Have a great weekend!

I understand the eleventy-billion directions thing. I’m always amazed when anyone comments on my blog whenever I do post since I’m not nearly as interesting as I was when I was cranking out multiple, bloggable items every week.
.-= Leah´s last blog ..Around and Around and Around =-.

I just got this book too– it does have some lovely and original lace patterns. I do wish they had chosen a lighter yarn color for some of the swatches– the detail is a little hard to see in the photos where they used a dark blue yarn.

Wendy- Thanks for the review- do you notice that there are tons of knitting books in the stores, but very little content? Like having satellite tv, and there’s nothing to watch.
.-= Lorraine´s last blog ..The Dog That Smiled =-.

Don’t worry Wendy, we’ll be here for you! I just got your second book yesterday (finally), and am savoring it. I love your writing style – it doesn’t really matter what you write about! (though I enjoy the knitting, of course!).

The book looks pretty good, though I’m still holding out for one of my friends to see my wish list and give me pretty much any of the Barbara Walker books.
.-= Seanna Lea´s last blog ..matcha matcha man! =-.

I am in a lace phase as well, and after reading your blog I looked for the Vogue Stitchionary 5 at my local B & N, but they didn’t have it as well. I’m looking forward to browsing through it and perhaps seeing what you create using it.
.-= Sharen´s last blog ..It’s a Party and We’re Invited ! =-.

Love your blog Wendy and Lucy is inspiring as always. She is very “to the point” for a cat, whereas my Jessie takes after me and will talk your ear off..LOL

I wonder if you are up for a lace question? I will put the book on my list, but could really use an answer now. Can you tell me why an intelligent person like me, trust me,I am pretty smart, can knit 20 repeats of a simple 6 row lace pattern, and every time I get to row 1 its like a whole new pattern, like I have never seen it before. It must be the summer weather? The fact that this shawl languished and then Wed I realize that I want it for the wedding we are going to a week from tomorrow?

Oh well, I am through that bit now..fixed the mistake on the 2nd last row that gave me 127 stitches on one side and 123 on the other…

Maybe its destined to be something different? Sorry to be so long, but inquiring minds and all that…

your blog is so nice and give me lots of inspriation on knitting. I have a similar cat like Lucy and he is a sweet guy and lying under the sun now. I like to enter your drawing and hope you pick me.
.-= Esther in CA´s last blog ..Happy and Healthy 2009…………………… =-.

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